Animals have souls--and so do plants. Does this answer sound like something out of the New Age movement? Don't worry--it isn't. Rest assured we're not saying animals and plants have souls like ours.

The soul is the principle of life. Since animals and plants are living things, they have souls, but not in the sense in which human beings have souls. Our souls are rational--theirs aren't--and ours are rational because they're spiritual, not material.

Animals and plants can't do anything which transcends the limitations of matter. Although some animals seem clever, they don't actually possess conceptional intelligence. They can't, for instance, conceive of the abstract notion of justice.

Animals and plants also lack a moral sense. When you scold Spot for chewing the carpet and tell him what he did was "wrong," you aren't assigning guilt of sin to him, since he can't commit a sin.

Animal and vegetable souls are dependent entirely on matter for their operation and being. They cease to exist at death. (There's no "doggie heaven.")

Human souls, by contrast, aren't material. They're spiritual. Only a spirit can know and love, a spirit's two chief faculties being the intellect (which knows) and the will (which loves). We know human souls are spiritual since humans can know and love.

We also know human souls are immortal because spirits can't decompose. They have no parts: Only a thing with parts can fall apart. A spirit is a unit. It has no top or bottom, no left or right, no inside or outside.

Every bit of matter, even the smallest, has parts. The human body can decompose--it's made of matter, after all--but the human soul can't. That's why we say it's immortal.

A good discussion of the differences between human beings and animals is available in Mortimer Adler's The Difference of Man and the Difference it Makes.

The Pope Has Said:
"Animals Too Have Souls,
Just Like Men"

by Mimmo Pacifici
Rome, January 1990

Translated by Piera Smith from Genre Magazine and Man/Nature/Animals, January 1990.

"When the Pope stated that 'also the animals possess a soul and that men must love and feel solidarity with our smaller brethren', I felt greatly moved. At last my work for the world of animals had been rewarded. I have welcomed my parishioners into Church for Mass accompanied by their dogs, cats and other faithful animal friends for a number of years because I have long recognized the justice in maintaining that all God's creatures have the right to approach their Creator. My decision has at times caused controversy. But now that the Holy Father has affirmed that the animals are as "near to God as men are", those people who have criticized me must surely change their opinion."

The speaker is Monsignor Canciani, 60 years old, Vicar of the Roman Church, San Giovanni dei Fiorentini, already well-known the world over for having opened his church doors to animals and because he also specially blesses them together with his parishioners twice a year. Monsignor Canciani is happy because in a homily given at the Vatican during a recent weekly audience the Pope made a number of important statements about the creation of animals and their relationship with men and with God. The Pontiff in fact stated that all animals are "fruit of the creative action of the Holy Spirit and merit respect."

So what did the Holy Father actually say about animals, and why are these words considered to be so important? Let us read together extracts from his homily.

John Paul II quoting from several verses of Genesis spoke of the Divine creative action of the Holy Spirit and said: "...in the account of the Creation, the way in which man was created suggests a relationship with the spirit or 'breath' of God. And one reads that after having created man from the dust of the earth, the Lord God "breathed life into his nostrils and man became a living soul".

The Holy Scriptures thereby make clear that God intervened by means of His breath of life or Spirit to make man a living soul. In man there is the "breath of life" which came from the "breath" of God Himself. In him lives breath which is similar to the very breath of God.

Then the Pontiff spoke of the creation of the animals and said: "In Genesis, Chapter 2, where there is reference to the creation of the animals, there is not given a similar account of their relationship with the divine spirit of God as is given of that relationship with man. From the previous chapter we learn that "Man was created in the image and likeness of God".

THE DIVINE SPARK OF LIFE
"However, other texts state that animals have the breath of life and were given it by God. In this respect man, created by the hand of God, is identical with all other living creatures. And so in Psalm 103* there is no distinction between man and beasts when it reads, addressing God: "...These wait all upon thee; that thou mayest give them their meat** in due course. That thou givest them, they gather: thou openest thy hand, they are filled with good."

The psalmist continues: "Thou hidest thy face, they are troubled: thou takest away their breath, they die, and return to their dust. Thou sendest forth thy spirit, they are created: and thou renewest the face of the earth." The existence therefore of all living creatures depends on the living spirit/breath of God that not only creates but also sustains and renews the face of the earth."

This affirmation of the Pontiff has aroused enormous interest the world over and has overjoyed many thousands of Catholics who for many years have been deeply concerned that the Church should reiterate and give back to animals the proper respect and moral dignity due to the animal world which is often discriminated against and long been considered inferior to that of men.

"This discourse by Pope Wojtyla is very important and significant" explains the distinguished theologian Carlo Molari who for many years has been Professor of Theology and Dogma at the University of Urbino. "It is a 'sign of the times' because it demonstrates the Church's desire and deep concern to clarify present confused thinking and attitudes towards the animal kingdom. There should be no need, but the Pontiff in reiterating that the animals came into being because of the direct action of the "breath" of God wanted to say that also these creatures as well as man are possessed of the divine spark of life and that living quality that is the soul. And are therefore not inferior beings or only of a purely material reality."

TRANSCENDENT BEINGS
"If one goes on to contemplate that the word "animal" is derived from that of 'anima' or soul, one understands, as the Pope explains, that animals are indeed "touched" by the first principle of life which is the Holy Spirit. But the intention of the Pope when he defines the animals as being composed of both body and soul is not only meant to convey their value in a metaphysical sense, but above all also in a moral sense specifically that we must respect all the creatures of God. Clearly therefore because the animal possesses the same "breath" of life as man, men must demonstrate proper and total solidarity with the creatures that surround him. He must keep in his mind that there is an animal life around him and at the same time must try to love and respect it. And perhaps the profound and true message of the Pontiff is that we must live in close harmony, and with love towards animals and all of nature surrounding us."

"However", concludes theologian Carlo Molari, "it must be restated that there remains a distinction between the soul of an animal and that of man. According to Scripture the animal is destined to perish. It is mortal by definition, unlike man who continues his existence beyond earthly life. So far as we understand now there is no possibility that we will find other creatures in the Hereafter. However, it's one thing to expound according to the theology and philosophy we have studied and quite another for us to comprehend Divine reality--both future and distant--which remains mysterious and difficult to grasp within our limited capabilities."

Having now listened to the views of a theologian interpreting in his opinion John Paul II's declaration upon the great spiritual "communion" between men and animals, let us turn again to Monsignor Canciani's words, the priest who in his genuine concern for animals, had anticipated the Church's new solidarity with our 'faithful friends'.

"Yes, the Pope's words made me very happy" says Monsignor Canciani, who as well as actively assisting the needy in his parish, and helping animals, is also a writer and member of the (Vatican) Council. "The words strengthen even more my love for animals which for years I have welcomed into my church together with the faithful. Just think, after the Pope proclaimed publicly his own love of animals, I received hundreds of phone calls from all over Italy. It was a wonderful experience: I would pick up the receiver and at the other end of the line people would all be complimenting me: "Did you hear, Monsignor? You were right all along! The Pope has said we must all love animals. That they too have souls and belong to God just like men. We do hope now that in our own parish too we will be able to take our animals to Church. It would be wonderful to be able to pray with them beside us." In fact I was on the phone all day and at last I was able to answer that single question that everyone kept asking. The Pope had made it easy for me when he had affirmed that man must live in solidarity with animals, because to live in community with them is the first principle of existence. And now that the Catholic Church officially is showing herself more attentive to the needs of animals, lots of small memories come crowding in on me, that day after day had impressed themselves upon me and increased my respect for the animals which often save the lives of human beings."

"I remember for example, the story of an old lady, who living alone in the solitude of her home, to keep loneliness and sadness at bay, had depended strongly on the love and friendship of a little white dog, old like herself and rather worn. One day the old lady, no longer able to care for herself had been forced to enter a Hospice. With her suitcase and the little dog in her arms she presented herself at the door of the Hospice. But of course dogs were not allowed in the Hospice and the old lady became terribly upset. She cried and despaired and would not be parted from her faithful friend who had shared so many years of her life. Finally knowing my love for animals she decided to phone me to ask for help. I rushed immediately over to the Hospice and tried hard to calm her telling her that I would look after her dog and we would both visit her together frequently. However, day after day the situation got worse. Both the dog and the old lady, not able to accept the situation seemed to want only to die. The little dog pined in my study, refusing food and whining. The old lady sat alone in dignified silence while her health visibly deteriorated. So I finally decided to talk to the Director of the Hospice. "Does it seem right to you that two creatures who love each other and are reaching the last few years of their lives should be made to cruelly suffer in this way? Why not, in the name of love can't we ignore the regulations". After much heart- searching the Director allowed the little dog to be returned to its owner. I can never forget the expression of pure joy on the woman's face when she saw her little dog again and knew she could keep him once more. It is written in the Bible that "God exists not only in man but in everything that lives." And I, seeing the happiness of those two reunited, understood that animals also do have souls, an interior tension with which they interact with God and with men."

"When did you decide to open the door of your Church to animals?"

"It was a spontaneous decision that sprang from mature reading of the Scriptures which teach that Jesus dying redeemed not only man but the whole of creation: and therefore animals too. I still remember clearly the very first time that, assailed with many doubts, I decided to let a dog enter the Church for a religious ceremony. Two of my older parishioners asked me to celebrate a Mass for their 25th wedding anniversary and rather tentatively the asked whether not only all their family and friends but their dog also, could participate in the celebration as a kind of very affectionate member of the family. 'Without our dog, it would seem as though our family were not complete and that in fact we would not all really be united for such an important celebration.'

"I thought about this strange proposition for some time before I agreed to their request. And it was a most beautiful and solemn ceremony. It was most moving to see, close to the children, cousins, nephews and nieces of the couple, that quiet gentle animal, waiting patiently with the family. I understood that their dog represented symbolically to the congregation the qualities of friendship and faithfulness of those two people which, among other things, had kept the couple lovingly together."

AN INFALLIBLE METHOD
"From that experience I opened my Church to animals, and people can enter whenever they wish with their faithful friends, not only during a private arrangement but whenever they come to confess or take part in the Holy Mass. And I now bless animals and their owners twice a year during a special Mass because all creatures have the right to feel loved by God and be near Him."

"I have also learned to make use of the sensitivity and love animals have for people to solve the most disparate and desperate cases. I have helped back to happy everyday life many cases of drug dependency when the addicts could find no way out of the tunnel, as well as both old and young people who have been through periods of deep depression and feelings of worthlessness unable to find any sense in their lives. I have been able to do this with an infallible method which I now always use: I present myself at their door with a kitten or puppy in my arm together with a small bag of food for the creature. I knock and ask: "Can you do me an enormous favour? I have to leave and won't be back for a week. There's no-one who can look after this little animal. Can you possibly help?" The response is usually one of indifference, even distaste and the door is sometimes almost closed in my face. But seeing how insistent I am they agree to do me this small favour. Upon my return the situation is usually completely different. A different person stands before me. No longer apathetic and desperate, because the little animal in its innocence and trusting dependence drew out hidden depths of buried affection. This indicates that man will truly find genuine happiness if he will learn to trust again in the love and companionship of animals."

Do Animals Have Souls?

by Cate Cavanagh

I am an eclectic Pagan and Witch. From the time I was a child I have loved animals. I love all animals from feathered friend to slithering snake to hair throwing tarantulas. I have loved them all. As I matured, I left the teachings of my childhood religion. I think I was on my way 'out' the day the lecture evolved around animals having no souls. I know many do not abide by this and I for one have had so many animals, each unique in its own way or "personality" I have never doubted that animals have souls. Where there is intelligence, in my opinion, there must be a soul and just because an animal or insect's intelligence may be labeled instinct, does not mean there is no thinking. It only means we have no means of measuring it. Let me modify that. People at large have no way of measuring it but I do.  I had a cat that actually played hide and seek with me! Every time we played, I picked a different home base and he always knew where it was. When my first dog died, I grieved for her horribly. I felt her crawl under my bed every night and jump on my bed at intervals just as she did when she was alive.             

Suddenly a cat showed up on my doorstep. This cat actually left its owners of sixteen years and moved in with us. Now, most have heard how cats do not like moving and yet this cat did. But, it does not end here. After a month and receiving the healing this cat brought me, I was getting a glass of milk from the refrigerator. This cat was sitting on the chair we kept by the telephone in the kitchen. Suddenly I heard a noise. It was the sound of my dog's nails clicking on the linoleum just as they used to when she was alive. I stopped and stared at the spot when the clicking stopped. So did my cat. Then I heard the clicking again that went through our door and down the stairs until it faded away completely. I knew she had decided to move on knowing the cat she had sent was helping me heal.  Since then, I have many animals and stories that could fill volumes that are all true. There was the time one of my cats lay dying in the hospital and the cat that had played hide and seek with when he was alive took me on my first astral travel to the animal hospital. I did not remember much but I did see him there and he was ill. The next morning I was awakened early by the telephone the next day. The vet had called to tell me a miracle had happened. My cat had healed.  

For me, the issue of animals having souls was no longer moot. It was fact. Thirty years ago, I began my independent meditations into alternative belief systems. I was first guided to Native American Animal Medicine. Looking back, it all made sense. Through my meditations and readings, I began to accept that not only did animals have souls, they had spirit medicine. They had power. As I began to look into what my totems were I found amazing correlations. I love all animals but there were some with whom I had a natural affinity my whole life: horses, wolves, dolphins and big cats. These are, among others, my totems. Now I knew my spiritual path would lead me increasingly to earth based beliefs. I have called my totems to assist me with finding guidance during hard times, for protection-especially for my daughter. The sudden surge of spirit power within myself that I experience at these times could wake me up from a deep sleep.

Not a day goes by that I do not make note of the first animal I see outside nor am I surprised every spring when ants invade my house and I will not kill them. Every year, they come around, I discovered, to give me a message and until I realize what it is, I am invaded. When I find that 'eureka!" moment, they disappear. Neither my husband nor I will kill spiders. We simply move them outside of the house. As a writer, how could I possible kill the animal that is the essence of creativity? We have bats that live under our roof on our porch. I have affectionately named them Elizabeth-Patrice and Bob. You see we have a large pond by our house and during the West Nile scare a couple of years ago, Elizabeth-Patrice and Bob had nightly feasts and we had absolutely no mosquitoes. We feed the skunks that live under our porch leftovers from dinner and when we have encountered them at night, it is almost like neighbors passing each other and saying 'Hello". Both Bats and skunks are very significant to me personally. Bat medicine is a very challenging one to call to oneself. It will require brutal and painful self-examination and accountability before one can move forward from one phase of life into the next. I have called upon the bat to help me fight my shadow self, my inner demons and depression. A painful process I can assure you yet afterwards I always find a new path to follow with a lighter heart for I always gain self forgiveness. Now skunk medicine can be very funny. It can make you very popular or unpopular. As a solitary eclectic, skunk medicine has literally kept unwanted visitors at bay. I have peace within myself and within my home for only my closest friends and family come by to visit. My teacher in Native ways, Ceremonial Chief WhiteEagle of Narrowsburg, New York has taught me how to free the spirit of a dead bird and how to accept its medicine so that its power on the side continues to grow. Of all these wonderful experiences, I have had some on the astral plane that have amazed even me. Years ago, my husband and I got a puppy. It was his first marriage and my second and we were both animal lovers so we began our joyfully with our combined menageries. We got Sheba so she would the first dog that would be 'ours', not his, not mine. My daughter also had dogs and cats of her own. Needless to say, we relocated to a farm so all of our animals could have a wonderful life. Sheba used to play with my daughter's dog Penny. One day, I let out the dogs and hung outside with them as I always do. A sudden storm rolled in. All of the dogs came quickly in except for Penny and Sheba. The lightning and thunder was incredible and along came Penny but with no Sheba. At the time, Sheba was only about five months old. I ran out in the rain calling for her, desperately hoping she was just hiding nearby.

When my husband came home from work, I tearfully told him what had happened. By this time the rain had stopped. I continued walking the woods on foot and the roads while he saddled up and took to the trails where she might be hiding. We could not find her. We hunted for her all the next day into night. I was beside myself. I couldn't sleep from the time she disappeared but finally succumbed that evening when it became too dark and late to look anymore.

Suddenly, I felt wide-awake. I got up from the bed and decided to walk to the window. Sitting outside were three of the biggest hounds I had ever seen in my life. I could hear them speak thought they did not even bark. I knew they were asking for instructions. I instructed them to run and go find Sheba and they ran off, bounding down the road. Not a word was spoken.  The words were thought. After that I turned to go back to bed and saw myself lying in bed.  I walked over, sat down and reclined into myself.  When we woke up, I just told my husband, Ralph, to go out and look for Sheba because he would find her "today".  I would tell him my Dreamtime experience later.   A couple of hours later, he returned with a frightened, but happy to be home, puppy.  He passed construction workers working on one of the side roads and asked if they had seen a puppy fitting Sheba's description.  Indeed they had.  As my husband turned to go back to the truck to look in the area, one of the men said, "Hey, there she is!"  She was cowering under some fallen branches from a tree.  When called her she ran into his arms and came home.

As Sheba grew, she became was such a character!  She slept with us on the bed, between us and I would fall asleep rubbing her fur in between my fingers.  But, during the day when the bed was made and the bedspread on the bed, the bedroom was off limits.  Sometimes, just for fun I would leave the door open.  She would sneak into the bedroom and then shut the door behind her!  I would walk in and when she knew I caught she literally would smile- teeth showing from one end of her mouth to the other!

And then, at a young age, Sheba died.  I grieved for her everyday.  I grieved because she needed emergency surgery and did not survive the night.  The guilt I felt that Sheba may have been aware that she was in strange place away from home when she died, tore at my soul.  The Irish in me would choke down tears but when Ralph wasn't around the Hispanic in me would sob with sorrow.

It was one of those bitterly cold winter afternoons and the chores outside at the barn had frankly made me very sleepy.  I decided to take a nap. It seemed that no sooner had my head hit the pillow that I fell asleep.

Suddenly I did not feel tired anymore. I sat up and turned to get a cigarette. I figured I might as well get up and go into the living room. As I turned, I noticed myself lying there. The hand that rested on the bed was resting on the bed but THROUGH me.  I stood up and looked down. My feet were not on the floor at all but about two feet above it. I walked through my bedroom door and into the living room.  I saw my husband my husband and Jack (my daughter's boyfriend) watching television but they did not see me. I sat down on a chair and suddenly running toward me, two feet above the floor as I was, was Sheba!  She ran into my arms. I cried and hugged her and told her how much I loved her and how sorry I was that she died alone. I told her I missed her and wished she were still with me because I missed her so much. She sat in front of me, wagged her tail, and gave me that smile. Then, she turned and I watched her walk away. I went back into the bedroom, reclined into myself once more and did not wake up for a few hours. When I woke up, I knew she came to me to ease my grief and she did. I have not cried for her since. Most of our animals are rescues. We found them abandoned, starving, freezing to death, or malnourished because the owner could not afford to feed them. Some were almost hit by cars, some were hit by cars and rehabilitated and adopted by great people. Still others were found when only an hour old and so on and so on. We have returned lost pets, adopted lost animals and placed lost pets. It is what we do.

One such animal was Colorado. He was a magnificent red Spanish Mustang. Although his name was Colorado, he has been born in Nevada and almost died when under a year old due to a bad heart. We got him when he was a year and half old. He was truly beautiful. He had a thick, wavy mane and tail and he had the classic "waffling" of the hairs in the front of his legs so typical of Spanish mustangs. He was highly spirited and I loved watching him run around the field, kicking up his legs and galloping around. He did wheeze which is why he was a pasture puff as we horse people call them. However, he was more than that. He was family. When I would go out to pet him, He would gallop full speed toward me and stop on a dime in front of me then lower his head for me to scratch between his eyes. Like all the other horses, at feeding time he had to wait for his grain. (You see all of our horses must get a kiss from us before they eat.)

One winter morning, as usual, my husband went out to feed the horses in the barn. He does that while I walk the dogs, do poop patrol, feed the dogs and make sure the ones on medication get their medicine. I also straighten up the house, clean and start laundry before I go out to help clean stalls. That morning, he came to the back door right away panting. I looked at him. I was terrified of what he had seen.

"He's dead!" He cried, "Colorado's dead!"

"What?" I screamed and ran out only in my bathrobe into the freezing cold.

He lay like a deer, legs folded under him, nose resting on the ground in front of him. I walked over to him as if not to wake him from his sleep and fell to my knees patting and hugging his majestic neck. I stroked the mane that only yesterday flew in the wind but his might gave way to the weakness that had always been his heart.

We somberly and tearfully took care of the other six horses. My husband cried as I did. Wordless, we knew we had our other horses who needed their routine also. After they were fed, watered and hayed I went into the house and called Chief WhiteEagle to let him know what happened. Within an hour, he was there and his wife, Cathy, hugged me and cried also. What followed was an amazing gift from the heart of this spiritual leader of twelve nations. He did a special ceremony for Colorado in his stall to honor him because horses are sacred to Native people. First, he put feathers in his mane. Then my husband put his hand in fine cornmeal to place his mark upon Colorado so he would be known on the other side as ours. He then did a ceremony and the mares started whinnying. He explained that the mares are the first to acknowledge a passing spirit. Shortly after the stallions joined then. He further said that now, he spirit has left this plane completely. (When the stallions join in, the work is complete.)

We had never lost a horse before and I personally have known them to live to fifty so here I was with a beloved stallion dead at the age of seven. We were again in a sorrow so deep we were speechless. That night I took Colorado's picture into my spirit room where I have all of my altars and placed it on my animal altar. I lit a candle for him and cried until my whole body hurt. I went to bed, crying silently as we Irish often do.

I have learned one thing from all of my astral travels. There are many places and many realms and no two are alike (so far). Sometimes the experience can get lost in the memory in transit back into the body so sometimes there are very odd things within the realm as if to help. Things that I can p rogram myself to remember when I wake up which, in turn, triggers the memory of the experience notice.

It was twilight. It was not day and it was not night. I was walking along a dirt road. I really did not know why I was there. Suddenly, coming up the road toward me was an Indian. He was rather old and dressed in brown. This was not unusual to me. I have seen amazing things in my travels but what was odd was the fact that he was driving a Jeep! I thought to myself, why would anyone need a jeep over here? Why would an Indian be driving a jeep? I then said to myself. This does not belong. It is a trigger factor that I must remember. Remember the Indian in the Jeep; remember the Indian in the Jeep. I repeated this to myself over and over again. As he drove closer, he smiled. I smiled back and nodded my head. Then he pointed toward the road he had just come from and I knew he was telling me whatever it was I was there for was in that direction. I began walking. I did not walk far when there he was! Colorado stood in the middle of the road. "Colorado!" I gasped which I thought must have been a scream but as, usual, there was no sound. He stood in his former majesty, neck arched, head proud, mane and tail as it had always been. He walked toward me. I saw the feathers in his mane and then the handprint on his chest, where my husband had placed his hand. He stopped in front of me and put his head on my shoulder. He then pulled me gently toward him until my shoulder was under his throat with his head and jaw on my shoulder blade. I put my arms around him and I could feel the power of muscle.     

He was whole and powerful and more alive than he could ever have been if he lived. As it always is with these travels, I awoke the next morning in my bed. The first thought that came into my mind was an Indian driving a Jeep. And then, I remembered....

When one loves animals as we do, their passing is losing family. We have had dogs and cats that have lived to twenty! We have others that died prematurely. Each one is a painful loss but is our beliefs that get us through. Native Americans call all things "people". There are rock people, plant and tree people and animal people. They all have spirit. I felt the power of our Mother Earth's people as well but those experiences are for another time but even for Mother's people there is life after life. We observe this with each turn of the wheel with every change of season, don't we? As for my animal people, they have souls. They have 'told' me so.